Long‐term trends in Indigenous deaths from chronic diseases in the Northern Territory: a foot on the brake, a foot on the accelerator

• DOI: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2006.tb00501.x
• Publication Date: 2019-09-24T08:12:27Z
• Authors: David P Thomas; John R Condon; Ian P Anderson; Shu Q Li; Stephen Halpin; Joan Cunningham; Steven L Guthridge
• Keywords: Foot (prosody)

To examine trends in Northern Territory Indigenous mortality from chronic diseases other than cancer.A comparison of rates six (ischaemic heart disease [IHD], obstructive pulmonary [COPD], cerebrovascular [CVD], diabetes mellitus [DM], renal failure [RF] and rheumatic [RHD]) the NT population with those total Australian population.NT populations, 1977-2001.Estimated average annual change rate ratios.Death IHD DM among peoples increased between 1977 2001, but this increase slowed after 1990. Death COPD rose before 1990, fell thereafter. There were non-significant declines death CVD RHD. Mortality RF aged > or = 50 years. The ratios for to populations these throughout period.Mortality have been increasing since 1977, there is evidence a slower rise (or even fall) 1990s. These early small changes give reason hope that some improvements (possibly medical care) putting brakes on Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander peoples.